August 2007

Are You Ready for October 1?
Navigate the 2008 PPS Maze
Home Care Certification Study Guide Now Available
Upcoming Events

Hello from the Board of Medical Specialty Coding! We hope you enjoy your monthly ezine and find the information useful. If you have any comments or recommendations for future issues, please contact me through the following channels:

Victoria Forlini, Executive Director
vforlini@medicalspecialtycoding.com
301/287-2250 (phone)
301/287-2941 (fax)

Are You Ready for October 1??

October 1, 2007 is the day that the 2008 ICD-9 Code changes will go into effect. Are you ready?

Here is a list of revised diagnosis codes, effective October 1, 2007:

Here is a list of those codes that will be invalid effective October 1, 2007:

Get ready for the code changes today, or your reimbursement could be jeopardized:

Download the ICD-9 conversion table.
Download the ICD-9 Addenda to the Index of Diseases.
Download the ICD-9 Addenda to the Tabular Index.

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Navigate The 2008 PPS Maze

New Conference sponsored by DecisionHealth!

You need to train your staff on the PPS changes, effective in January, if you want to keep your business alive. CMS plans to completely re-design the factors that  drive your payments, placing more emphasis on OASIS and coding.

The final PPS regulation will be released in October (right before this conference) – that gives you just enough time to analyze the final rules and develop a strategic training plan to prevent a financial loss.

Register today for this timely and unique conference – unlike any other you’ll see. In addition to a thorough briefing on the PPS changes, you’ll also get:

“Your Turn practice sessions" which will allow you to understand the implications of the complex changes by working through specific patient examples. You'll answer the OASIS questions for these scenarios to reveal the true financial drivers. Plus, you can take these same tools home to train your staff.

Review the agenda and register today!

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Home Care Certification Study Guide Now Available

The Study Guide for Home Care Coding Certification can help you prepare for your Home Care Coding Specialist - Diagnosis certification or recertification exam. This invaluable resource will include:

• Terminology and concepts respective to the home care coding.
• Coding rules for M0230, M0240 and M0245.
• Billing approaches and Case-Mix Codes.
• Critical Issues within home care coding, such as coding for complex conditions including diabetes, abnormality of gait, fractures, etc.
• Questions for the Expert - Coders just like you have asked our experts questions about common coding problems. Our experts provide answers and feedback that you can put into practice immediately.
• Practice Questions - Get ready for your exam by testing your coding skills with practice questions. The questions provided in the study guide are just like the ones on the exam, so you'll be able to see right away if you are ready for your exam or if you need more preparation.
• Exam Outlines - See the concepts that will be tested on your home care coding exam, and make sure you'll familiar with all of the topics outlined.
• Coding Tips are peppered throughout the guide. Pay special attention to these tips, as they may be a hint as to an exam question.

The Study Guide for Home Care Coding Certification [H1624] is available now. Order today by visiting www.medicalspecialtycoding.com.

Price: $67.00

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Upcoming Events

Here's the 411 on some upcoming events where you'll get top-notch educational opportunities to earn CEUs and even a place to sit for your HCS-D certification or recertification exam!

Event: National Quality Outcomes Conference
Date: September 5-7, 2007 in Chicago
To register or learn more information:
www.homehealthinteractive.com/conferences/
outcomes/home.htm

Event: Deciphering the Code: Competency in Home Care Coding
Date: September 6-7, 2007 in Denver, CO, sponsored by the Home Care Association of Colorado
To register or learn more information:
http://www.hcaconline.org/conted/2007/coding/brochure.htm

Event: Demystifying Home Care Coding
Date: September 12-13, 2007 in Denton, TX, sponsored by Foundation Management Services
To register or learn more information:
http://www.medicalspecialtycoding.com/pdf/
codingcertification9.12.pdf

Event: 2007 ICD-9-CM and OASIS Coding & HCS-D Exam Review Course
Date: September 20-21, 2007 in Lexington,KY sponsored by the Kentucky Home Health Association
To register or learn more information:
http://www.khha.org

Event: Demystify Home Care Coding
Date: October 16-17, 2007 in Oklahoma City sponsored by the Foundation Management Services
To register or learn more information:
http://www.fmscreativesolutions.com/workshops.asp

Event: ICD-9 Intermediate Coding for Home Health
Date: October 23-24, 2007 in State College, PA sponsored by the Pennsylvania Homecare Association
To register or learn more information:
http://www.pahomecare.org/education/
workshop_details.asp?ID=69

Event: ICD-9 Coding: Diagnostic Coding Workshop for Home Health Clinicians & Coders
Date: October 24-25, 2007 in Okemos,MI sponsored by the Michigan Home Health Association
To register or learn more information:
http://www.mhha.org/cde.cfm?event=180574

Event: ICD-9-CM & OASIS Coding: Back to Basics and Beyond Workshop & BMSC Exam (HCS-D)
Date: November 8-9, 2007 in Albany, NY sponsored by the Home Care Association of New York State
To register or learn more information:
http://www.hcanys.org/programs/codingbmsc

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What do you want to see in your next issue of the Home Care Advisor? More news? More events to earn CEUs? Some practice scenarios? Email BMSC's Executive Director, Victoria Forlini, and let her know. We want to hear from you!!